Jackie Kutzer
I started fly fishing when I met my husband, Pete, in 2011. I had already been with Orvis for five years then, but it was seeing his passion and dedication for the sport that sparked my curiosity. I fell in love with fly fishing after taking an Orvis two-day Women’s Fly–Fishing School with Molly Semenik in Manchester, Vermont. Feeling the camaraderie that happens when being part of a group of women, the way fly fishing reconnects you with nature, the places fly fishing can take you when you plan that next adventure–it was all amazing to me. I was immediately all in. I will never forget all of the people who were so kind, patient and willing to give their time to help me learn how to fly fish and who really made it a fun journey for me. I knew I wanted to pay that forward and help others find the same joy and excitement for the sport as I had. Enter Chrissy Atkins, one of my co-workers and best friends. We started teaching women-only FF101s and 201s through events, retail stores, and road tours together over the last seven years, and are now co-leaders of 50/50 On the Water. This past summer, Chrissy and I taught four women-only Orvis Fly–Fishing Schools in Manchester–the very same school that got me hooked. It’s been an exciting journey so far, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
